‘Hardcore’ cyclists pay their way

Re: “Side-by-side cyclists a danger on the road,” March 18.

It must be spring because the fallacious anti-cyclist letters have begun.

First, municipal roads are financed by property taxes, not gas tax, ICBC or licence fees. “Hardcore” cyclists pay equal property taxes and yet are pushed out to the edge where all the gravel and debris sits. So cyclists actually subsidize vehicle drivers.

Second, “hardcore” cyclists are skilled enough to ride two abreast within the bike lane. On secondary roads without bike lanes, vehicles must pass only when safe to do so, which means giving a wide berth and passing only on straight stretches.

A majority of drivers violate the law daily by passing unsafely on curves and too close to the cyclist even when riding single file.

A pack of 10 riders in single file is as long as a tractor trailer and much more difficult to pass than when riding two abreast. Cyclists are also more visible and feel safer riding two abreast. North American drivers, in our auto-centric culture, need to learn from European drivers.

Vehicles impose a much greater burden on cyclists than the reverse.

A vast majority of cyclists also drive automobiles while a majority of drivers wouldn’t know which way the pedal turns. Cyclists see the situation from both sides, including the multitude of infractions committed by drivers. The result: cyclists make better drivers.

If more drivers rode a bike occasionally, they would appreciate the challenges faced by cyclists and behave more responsibly on the road. Eric McQuarrie Saanich